Thursday, August 23, 2018

National Senior Citizens' Day (Ledice and Jose)

This past Tuesday was National Senior Citizens' Day, a day to honor the seniors and older buds in our lives. Since Best Day was inspired by a conversation between Benita, our founder, and Mei Chiu, Benita's grandmother who came to the United States from Hong Kong. To celebrate that incredible journey Mei made, and the stories that came with it, I've devoted this post to stories from our immigrant older buds. Please keep in mind that American English is not our storytellers' first language. We've kept the grammar and word choice intact, except in rare cases where leaving it out would make the story more confusing.

Ledice McKnight

5.10.2018

My Arrival to the USA

I always remember when I arrived at the United States in 1981.

I
was very excited coming to the United States, my purpose was learning
English to an intermediate level to pass the TOEFL or the Michigan test.
However, my happiness very soon turned into a nightmare. I arrived at
Metro Airport in Detroit, Michigan and the person that was supposed to
pick me up never showed up. I had to venture at 9:00 PM into a town that
I had never been before and I did speak very very little English.

I
went from Detroit Airport to Ann Arbor at 9:00 PM. I showed my papers
to the cab driver, my passport, and student visa. Since it was very
late, he dropped me off in a little motel called Harmony House. I did
the best I could to explain to the motel’s owner that I needed a room.
At this point, my head was about to explode. I had a horrible headache. I
left my country at 6:00 AM and more than 12 hours passed and I had not
eaten anything. When I got a key to my room, I sat down in the bed and I
cried and I said to myself I took so many English classes at Venezuelan
American Institute and I did not understand a word of English.

Jose Dominiguez

08.12.18

My Wife Farewell

Taking Maria to the emergency hospital was not a
surprise. For 3 or more years her health was diminished month after
month day after day. At 64 years of age and 40 of marriage this looked
like the prelude of a farewell. She always had something to say and her
advises were on natural healing and to surrender ourselves to the will
of God. Nevertheless she, as always, looked powerful so sure of her
recovery, so sure of her will of power but that Sunday she was so week
that immediately was transferred to a IC unit. The infection was
touching her blood and that means sepsis. To give her a chance of
breathing, she was hooked to a respirator. Her life was in decline, the
doctors told us that there was no hope. I took her hand and at the same
time that I touched her dear face I muted slowly: “Maria you are going
to make your final trip. Your soul will leave free from your body, you
will be in an indescribable area because of its beauty and peace and at
certain point you will hear a voice calling you ‘Maria, I was waiting
for you this is your eternal dwelling. From here you were ushered at
Earth and now you return to your real home here, time, pain, suffering,
attachments those not exist.

You are welcome dear Maria our dear daughter.’”

She did not reacted and a few moments later her heart stopped.

If you liked these stories, then pass them around. Stories are meant to be shared, and Best Day is as successful as it is because of word of mouth. Thanks for your support, and Happy Belated National Senior Citizens' Day!

About The Best Day of My Life So Far

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About This Blog

Lovingly narrated by Best Day Founder Benita Cooper and our Philadelphia Senior Center group's Lead Facilitator Caitlin Cieri, this blog is our invitation to you to hear the stories told every week at the first ever Best Day group, which began meeting at a borrowed basement office in 2009, and has inspired satellite groups across the country. Click to see how a phone call with her grandma inspired Benita to build our organization.

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